


The Ripple of a Stone (Part 2)

by DarkOne09



Category: Alien vs Predator (2004), Aliens vs Predators Series - Various Authors
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama & Romance, F/M, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Multi, Other, Rape, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-07 16:49:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17369705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkOne09/pseuds/DarkOne09
Summary: *Continuation of The Ripple of a Stone by Yeyinde. All credit goes to the original author.* A human wakes on a Yautja Predator Dropship, unable to remember who she is. But does she want to remember? And can she become someone new, in a new world where she must prove herself to all those who think her to be dishonorable?





	1. Continuation of Story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yeyinde](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Yeyinde).



> Authors Note: This story I have written may not be exact with the customs and culture founded by the Predator movies, comics or stories but I have tried to stay in the area of their beliefs and ways. I have brought in elements from each of the categories and have combined them into one. I do not own Predator. Updates will be regular and changes will be made if any suggestions are made for me. Some of the mentioned items in the Yautja world are made up by me. Good Reading :)))

Hi Everyone!

This story is dedicated to the continuation of The Ripple of the Stone written by Yeyinde on FanFiction and it is amazing to read and I hope that everyone feels the same.

I've read this for a couple of months now and I've decided to continue writing this story on behalf of Yeyinde. All credit goes to the author and I don't make any money in writing this story. It is for mine and everyone's enjoyment that have loved this story as much as myself. If anyone has issues with this, I apologize in advance and you can PM me anytime about your questions/concerns and I will respond ASAP.

The first part (Chapters 1-35) is created by the original author and I will be starting from there and will see where it goes. I will try to make this a weekly update but if any changes occur, I will let you know since I don't like keeping everyone in the dark.

I recommend reading the first part of The Ripple of a Stone so that you are caught up and there's no confusion as to what is going on. I will be posting the first chapter in about a week so I hope that you all enjoy this story as much as I have.

Thank you all for the support and enjoy reading! :)))


	2. Chapter 36: Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: This story I have written may not be exact with the customs and culture founded by the Predator movies, comics or stories but I have tried to stay in the area of their beliefs and ways. I have brought in elements from each of the categories and have combined them into one. I do not own Predator. Updates will be regular and changes will be made if any suggestions are made for me. Some of the mentioned items in the Yautja world are made up by me. Good Reading. This is from the original author and I will be sticking to it. Enjoy! :))))

Chapter 36: Broken

 

Sya picks up Nala from the floor and carries her back to the healer's deck but neither one spoke to the other during the walk there. She was too weak still to say much but also, she was angry at both him and Lord Khupiee for separating Dhm'Ni from her. She misses him so much and can't help but remember their tender moment before he was ripped away from them. Still, she had questions that she wanted answers. What has happened to me while I was out? I feel different from before. What have they done to me? The only thing she can remember was when she was stabbed in the chest by the black Awu'asa that she recognized as a friend of Det. After that, her memory was vague, going in and out of consciousness. She does recall asking Sya if he ever had daughters, getting a confirmation that he didn't.

The words of Paya echoed in her mind. Hunt. Learn. Guide. Lead. Sacrifice . . . You are to become the daughter to one who has none. Take the gift of life . . . Wake up . . . Somehow, Nala wondered if she really was dead and that Paya and Cetanu intervened to save her life. But she remembers that they had a bigger plan for her and that a future awaits her and everyone else.

When they got to the healer's deck, Sya places Nala on the table gently but she refuses to open her eyes. Even when her body was screaming out of agony, she didn't want to say anything to them. She remained quiet as Kh'Cho comes barreling in, looking over her body for any signs of damage.

"What the pauk were you thinking Nala? Why did you take off like that?" Kh'Cho growls but got no response from her. She kept her eyes closed while Kh'Cho inspects her whole body, seeing if he needs to do anything with her. Especially after her body changed when Sya gave her his blood. Sya, on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about her and Dhm'Ni. His heart was breaking at the thought that he took a piece of happiness from Nala and now that she was not speaking to him or anyone else, he questioned whether they should have kept them apart. When Kh'Cho completed his examination, he informs to Sya that she was fine except being exhausted from having gone through the physical changes along with being asleep for so long. Finally, Nala decides to speak but to Kh'Cho and not to Sya.

"Can I speak with you alone? I have some questions to ask." She turns to Kh'Cho and doesn't dare to look in Sya's direction.

"Are you sure, Nala? You've been through a lot and it's usually better if you had someone here to—" Nala makes a Yautja growl at Kh'Cho for suggesting that, making him back off with his hands up in the air in fear of being attacked. She knows that he wants Sya to be near her but she was in no mood for that. After everything that has happened, she just wanted to be alone but first had to speak to Kh'Cho about what happened to her body while she was out.

It took a couple of seconds for Kh'Cho to compose himself enough. "I understand. Sya, can you leave up for a moment?" He saw the hesitation in Sya's eyes and Sya didn't want to leave Nala's side but when another growl comes out of her throat, directed at Sya, he put his eyes to the ground and bowed a little to show acknowledgment.

"I'll be outside when you need me Nala. Just get better okay?" Sya purrs and tries to gently brush her hair with his hand but Nala turns her head away from him, laying on her side with her back facing him. Right then, his heart drops and with no other purpose for being there, he makes his way out of the healer's bay. When the doors shut behind him, he is greeted by Lord Khupiee who had returned from taking care of things and making sure that Nder had gotten Dhm'Ni's things from his room and return to his Dropship.

"Sya, how is Nala?" Lord Khupiee asks. When he noticed how Sya was acting very depressed, he feared that something bad might of happened.

"She's fine according to Kh'Cho but she's very angry. She wouldn't look me in the eye or even speak to me. After some time, she asked me to leave but not without growling at me." Sya explains but kept his eyes down and his heart wrenched tightly as he spoke this.

"I see . . . It was the same with Dhm'Ni. My son fought so hard, just so he could be together with her. But I cannot let it happen." Lord Khupiee whispers as coldness and regret fill him.

"But why, Lord Khupiee?" Sya asks as he looks straight into Lord Khupiee. "I know that he's the last Son of the Ehre clan and that it's necessary for him to procreate as many Yautja pups as possible to keep your family strong. But . . ." Sya pauses. " . . . is it really worth it? Even if it means destroying your son's and Nala's chances for happiness?"

Both Sya and Lord Khupiee stayed silent between them. Both had seen each of their children's reactions to this but also know that Nala and Dhm'Ni want to be together. But more than just friends. To be mates. Seeing the image of them embracing each other on the floor of the Hunter's Globe, smelling their musks mixing together and hearing their moans, Lord Khupiee began to think twice about his decision but he can't think like that. He knows what is at stake here if he allows this to occur.

"Yes. I can't let them be together. If they do, then everything we have worked for will be in vain." Lord Khupiee moves towards a bench near the healer's deck, slowly setting himself down and lowering his head a bit in regret.

"But why?!" Sya roars. His anger at Lord Khupiee's lack of a clear answer was becoming hard to contain. He never gets angry at him. It was the first time he had ever gone against his childhood friend. But with Nala, his precious daughter, being in the mix of all this, he couldn't stand back. "Why can't this happen? Dhm'Ni has already mated with many females and has done everything you asked of him. What will happen if they come together?!"

"If they do, I know that Dhm'Ni will take Nala as a life mate!" Lord Khupiee roars back at Sya. Their loud argument can be heard throughout the entire floor of the deck, gaining the attention of many Yautja who were near the healer's deck. But Sya and Lord Khupiee didn't even notice. They glared at each other and not relenting. That is until Sya heard his words about 'lifemates'. Sya froze in place and shock began to take over him.

"What do you mean by that?" Sya asks quietly and worries about what Lord Khupiee is instigating.

Lord Khupiee sighs, "I've seen it. When I shoved Dhm'Ni into Nder's Dropship, his face was full of hurt but something else was there. It was like seeing a reflection of myself when I met Ni'Atni and you know how that went." Lord Khupiee couldn't help but remember that day he met his life mate and he cherished it. However, the memory of her death always followed after that. He couldn't bear to have his son go through the same thing he did. But he couldn't tell that to anyone. Not even Sya. No . . . He had another reason for this.

"If Nala and Dhm'Ni do that, there's nothing we can do. Our law dictates that life mates cannot mate with anyone else other than their partners. The only exception is if one of them dies and you know we can't just kill Dhm'Ni or Nala." Lord Khupiee tries to explain to Sya even though he already knows this. Like he's trying to convince himself that this is enough reason to do this.

Sya just stands there with a blank expression. Nala . . . and Dhm'Ni? Lifemates? He had no clue as to what to do now. He understands Lord Khupiee's reasoning for this. If it is true, then the Ehre clan's bloodline falls mostly on Nala and Dhm'Ni. He knows that the Ehre clan needs to thrive but knowing that both Dhm'Ni and Nala are in love with each other, he can feel so much elation inside of him. But this was a dilemma and Sya didn't know what to do.

"You understand don't you Sya? As much as I want Dhm'Ni to be happy, I have to think of what is best for the clan. For now, all we can do is make sure Nala gets better." Lord Khupiee tries his best to keep his emotions in check. He's the Clan Leader and he must sure that his clan survives. "I'm going to the Matriarch and Patriarch to inform them of Nala's condition. Make sure that she's okay." Lord Khupiee gets up from the bench and passes Sya but not before patting his shoulder. He takes off before Sya could say any more to him.

Sya's brain is all over the place and his heart is torn into two pieces. One filled with joy that Nala has feelings for Dhm'Ni but the other is filled with regret and sadness, knowing that they can't be together and he knows it won't be easy.

"SYA!"

He looks behind him and Thr'ik, Aja and even Dhyot'na come running to him like an apocalypse is coming. All of them had a worry in their hearts as word spread that Nala was finally awake and moving about in the Hunter's Globe and then in the healer's deck.

"Is it true that Nala is finally awake?" Dhyot'na asks first before Thr'ik and Aja could but it didn't matter. They wanted to know the same thing and they all looked towards Sya for an answer.

"She is but she's still tired. Right now she's with Kh'Cho to check her again and make sure everything is going well." Sya says but with a sorrowful tone to it.

"What is wrong Sya?" Thr'ik adds.

Sya could only take a slow breath in and out before he can speak. He knows that Nala's friends would want to know what is going on and sometimes, they are relentless in doing so. "There has been some development . . . and Nala is not in the mood for visitors right now."

"She doesn't want to see you then?" Aja asks. He is very observant in what the situation is and from knowing Nala, even for a little bit, if she doesn't want Sya around her, then it must be very bad. "And where is Dhm'Ni? I'm sure that he would come as soon as she was awake."

That made Sya stop in his tracks. That was a wholly different explanation in and of itself and he didn't want to speak about it in the open like this. "It's a long story. Why don't we all go to the gallery and get something to eat while we talk? I'm sure all of you have lots of questions."

Thr'ik, Aja, and Dhyot'na looked at each other, trying to decide about what they should do but it was clear that their minds were made up. They nod in unison and Sya motions them to follow him the gallery but all that was going through Sya's mind was dread.

" " " " " " " " " "

"How are you feeling Nalani?" Kh'Cho asks as he checks her vitals and her body temperature since it wasn't at the level of an ooman's any more thanks to Sya's blood that flowed in her so he had to make adjustments so that future examinations wouldn't be mixed up.

"Just tired. What's happened to me while I was asleep?" Nala whispers so only Kh'Cho can hear. She observes how he fidgets a bit and lowers his head down to the ground. He knows something and Nala wants to know. Whether he will tell her or not.

"Answer me." But Kh'Cho hesitates. Not really knowing how to explain everything so that she won't freak out or become increasingly aggressive.

"ANSWER ME!" Nala gets up too fast from the table and her vision begins to fail her, causing her to pass out for almost a few seconds. She almost hits her head on it when Kh'Cho catches her, gently putting her back in the same position as before. She groans when a headache comes on and painfully grips the sides in an attempt to ease it.

"Nala. You need to calm down. I will explain to you but until you are calm enough, my priority is to ensure that you are well." Kh'Cho gives her a look of fair warning as if scolding a young pup who knows better but still doesn't listen. Nala sees this and does slow breathing techniques, which was actually working to dissipate her headache until it was bearable for her. She lets her hands fall to lay down on her chest. A few more minutes pass until she was fully calm but Kh'Cho remained cautious as he comes closer to Nala, purring so that it might help her.

"You are alright now?" Kh'Cho waits patiently until Nala turns to look at him and nods.

"I'm fine now. Can you tell me please?" She wanted to know everything from the moment she remembered being stabbed to when she woke up a while ago. Kh'Cho brings a chair that was nearby and places it until it was just in front of her. He sits down but doesn't take his eyes off her. He brings his hands together and sighs heavily to clear his mind a bit on where to start. When he couldn't find any easy way to do this, he decides to just let it out.

"Nala . . . when you got stabbed, you've lost a lot of blood and we feared that you might not make it. It was a deep cut into your chest." Kh'Cho explains. Nala remembers that part and she desperately wanted him to get straight to the point but seeing him fidget, even more, she holds herself together so that he could continue.

"So Sya decided to give you his blood to save your life. When that happened, your body began to change in ways that I thought were not possible but in definition, you became his daughter by blood." Nala was baffled when he said that Sya gave his blood to her. Again, she recalls when Paya spoke about becoming a daughter to one who has none. Now she really believed that she did speak with Paya and Cetanu while she was out. Her mind reeled at that but other questions were beckoning her to ask.

"Sya . . . gave me blood? What changes are you speaking about?" Nala asks.

"Your body temperature is now much higher than a typical ooman except it's stable for you. Also, your voice box has changed so you can actually growl and purr like a true Yautja. It surprised us when you did it in front of us. We checked everything else and then found that not only did your scent glands have enlarged but we found slits behind your ears that emitted your musk as a female Yautja would." It was a long explanation for Kh'Cho but he hopes that would satisfy Nala in some ways.

She couldn't believe it but some of it made sense. When she woke up, Sya's smell was very potent like he was in the room but she couldn't find him anywhere. When she saw Dhm'Ni at the Hunter's globe, she let out a deep purr at him and then as she increasingly yeared for him, a shudder took her whole body and that is when she felt a wet substance going down the sides of her neck and the smell reminded her of a mating musk. Hearing Kh'Cho's statement, everything was coming together but the realization that her body physically changed to be more Yautja was hard to comprehend.

"So . . . somehow . . . my body went through many changes because I received blood from Sya." Nala looks at Kh'Cho who answers her with one simple but slow nod.

"It's true. However, I am curious about something but I'm not sure if you can answer it anyway." Kh'Cho became increasingly nervous. He knows that finding out before Lord Khupiee or Sya could get him into trouble since they want to be the first ones to hear this. Nala, on the other hand, was eager to find out what he wants to know.

"What is it?" Nala says.

Kh'Cho looks down again and sighs before returning to Nala's gaze. "You said that you believe in Paya but you have never read the book. How did you know?"

Nala had to think a bit cause she vaguely remembers saying that to everyone in the healer's deck with her but it was hard. She was too weak to know every detail. She was about to open her mouth to speak about it but then the words of Paya echoed in her mind.

As I talk to Matriarchs and Patriarchs, this is between us. If one day, you believe that you need to speak about what we say, I hope you consider the issue very much before doing so.

Nala shuts her mouth tight after that. If everything that she saw is true, she needed to be careful of what to say. She turns to look up at the ceiling and closes her eyes tightly. There was so much going on inside of her and so fast that nothing made sense anymore.

She was interrupted from her thoughts when Kh'Cho calls out to her. "Nalani. Everything okay?"

"Yes. It's fine." She answers quickly.

"So, can you tell me?" He chose his words carefully so as to not spook her. Another couple of minutes had passed with both Nala and Kh'Cho not moving or even speaking to each other. It was an awkward silence between them but Kh'Cho remains patient while Nala thought to come up with an answer.

She decides to just tell him. "I can't."

"You can't?" Kh'Cho questions.

"It's not my place to speak to you about this." She hopes that he won't keep pressing her for more information but she was surprised when Kh'Cho puts his hand on her shoulder and caresses it but in a way that it conveys sympathy and understanding.

"It's alright Nala. All that matters now is that you're alive and apparently well." Kh'Cho gets up from his seat and moves it back near the wall and out of the way for other Yautja passing through. "For now, I need you to stay here to recover a little bit until your body is strong enough to go back to your room."

"I'm alright to go back Kh'Cho. I just have to go slow about it." Nala lifts herself off of the table gently and twists her body so that her feet were dangling off of the side. Kh'Cho didn't like this and rushes over before she can put even a toe on the ground.

"You can't Nala. It's better that you stay here until I'm certain that you can." He was about to move her back but then he hears Nala growl at him. Instinctually, Kh'Cho backs away while Nala places her feet down on the ground, losing a little balance before straightening herself.

"See? I'm fine. I just want to get back to my room." She was exhausted but she wanted to get back to her bed instead of hanging out in the healer's deck after who knows how long she was there while asleep. When Kh'Cho realizes that there's no stopping her, he relents but wants to do one last thing.

"If you are so eager, I would feel more comfortable if someone accompanies you back to your residence," Kh'Cho suggests.

She was annoyed that she had to be escorted to her residence by another Yautja like she's still a pup that needs to be watched. Normally, Nala would have protested but considering that her body wasn't fully recovered and Kh'Cho's look of distress made her uneasy, she relents.

"Fine. Just until I can get back to my room." She says as Kh'Cho body relaxes in relief that Nala will at least honor his suggestion.

"Alright. I can call for Sya if you wish for—"

"Not Sya!" She snaps back at Kh'Cho, fuming from his choice of an escort. She doesn't want to see or talk to him. Being near him was enough to make her blood boil a bit. After both Lord Khupiee and Sya separated her from Dhm'Ni, she can't forgive him just yet. "Someone else. Anyone else."

Kh'Cho was surprised that she would be so against having Sya with her but he didn't want to upset Nala when she's already at her limit. "Then I can call for someone else. Who do you suggest?"

"Is Thr'ik available?" Although she could choose Aja or anyone else she met, Thr'ik is Dhm'Ni's best friend and she needed to find out where Dhm'Ni was or what they have done to him. Kh'Cho nods and moves to the COM system to signal for Thr'ik and he answers quickly. Once Kh'Cho explains the situation, Thr'ik tells that he will be there soon and disconnects. Once that was done, Kh'Cho motions Nala to sit down in the chair to relax until he arrives. She does this without question and patiently waits until Thr'ik comes jogging through the doors.

"Nala!" Thr'ik is surprised but happy to see that Nala was awake and aware. He walks to her and kneels down in front of her before Nala can lift herself from the chair. "It's good to see you alive again. Everything okay?"

"Yes, Thr'ik. Everything is okay." Nala smiles. Glad that she's able to see his familiar and friendly face once again.

He hugs her gently while lifting her up from the chair until she was standing straight up. After hearing from Kh'Cho that she's still weak but eager to get back to her room, he makes sure not to use his strength too much. But his eagerness to hug her tightly was making it hard to suppress. Both Nala and Thr'ik exited the healer's deck and head to the lift, both remaining silent during the ride. When they finally reached her residence level, the lift doors opened to a swarm of Yautja mingling with each other. When Nala and Thr'ik exit the lift, everyone went silent. The stares force Nala to drop her head down, refusing to look at anyone and she wasn't in the mood. She fears that if she does, with all the anger inside still not relenting, someone was definitely going to die. Thr'ik roars out for everyone to make way for both of them and all form an open line without hesitation. It was agonizing to Nala. It was the slowest walk she ever had and it didn't help that she could hear whispers on the way. No doubt that the Yautja were talking about her and it was no secret. Many of them already knew about Nala and her vision of Paya but she didn't want to talk about it. Not just yet.

Finally, Thr'ik and Nala were just a few feet away from her residence until she stopped in her track when her gaze falls upon Dhm'Ni's residence. Her heart and head dropped a bit as she saw the access panel glowed green, showing that no one was there. Thr'ik stopped as well and sympathy flowed through him, worried about Nala after Sya told him everything that had happened. He strolls back to her and shakes one of her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

"Nala . . . I'm sorry about everything." Thr'ik pleads to her.

"You know?" She lifts back up in surprise.

"Sya told us everything while you were with Kh'Cho and he just finished when I was called to get you. You're not too happy with Sya, are you?" He was worried that Nala might react badly at him but she only dropped her head down, even more, diverting from his sights. It was silent between until Thr'ik cleared his throat.

"Let's get you into bed." With a light push, he puts Nala in front of him and the doors to her residence open, allowing both of them to pass through and into her sitting room. They moved slowly to her bedroom and the sight of it called for Nala to sleep and she gladly went for it. She walks to the side and sits down on it, letting her body fall without delay. Thr'ik watches as she curls into a ball, not even bothering to grab the blankets for cover. He wants to comfort her but has no idea how to do that. With nothing else to do, Thr'ik turns to exit her residence.

"Thr'ik." Nala calls out, making Thr'ik turn around quickly. "Do you know where Dhm'Ni is now?" She stares straight into his eyes and sees him swaying from side to side as if trying to form a proper answer. But he had nothing much except what Sya had told him.

"I don't know exactly. All I was told is that Dhm'Ni was sent with Nder with his hunting party to find other worlds for the clan. They took off not too long ago." Thr'ik started to regret his words when Nala stuffs her head into the pillows, covering her face from him. He didn't want her to be sad like this but knew nothing of what to do. After some time, Thr'ik comes closer to her and rubs her shoulder.

"It'll be okay. Rest now." Thr'ik lets her go and begins his walk towards the exit but it was the longest and walk he ever had.

Once she heard him leave, she let out her tears and silently cried into her pillow. She didn't want anyone to see her like this but she couldn't hold it in anymore. She just wanted to see him. To feel Dhm'Ni's arms wrap around her in a tight embrace, protecting her from everything else. And also, she misses his sweet rain and vanilla scent. Oh, how she remembers it so well but it only makes her cry all the more. All she could do was exhaust herself until she finally falls asleep. But this time, it was different. She usually dreams about the accident that killed her parents, or Allen or even Dhm'Ni but there was nothing but darkness. She wishes that Dhm'Ni was with her right now, holding her like he did before but there was nothing. She didn't dream anything at all and it became the worst night ever.

" " " " " " " " " " " "

As the ship cruises along the empty space, Dhm'Ni can only watch as the stars slowly passed by the window of his small residence. Everyone in the hunting party went down to the small society room in the ship to celebrate for the upcoming hunts. But Dhm'Ni refuses. He just wants to be alone to think and watch the stars. They remind him of the Hunter's Globe, shining brightly and unaffected by everything around them. But all he could see was Nalani and the times they would sit together and talk about his hunts and other things. He misses her so much and desires so much to be with her right now. But then his father's words interrupted his thoughts and unknown anger fills his chest but also hurt. He always was proud of being his son. To watch him become a great warrior like him but after that, he wasn't certain about that anymore. He did everything that Lord Khupiee wanted. He already had many Yautja females with child and didn't know what else he could do to help the Ehre Clan. All he wanted was her. Why can't he be with her? After everything that has happened, along with what Nala had gone through recently, he wanted to protect her so much. To keep her safe in his arms but he respects her strength. Ever since he met her, she has proven over and over again that she's more than what she appears. After all the pain and sorrow that she had endured, he was amazed by how she just keeps going, no matter what came next.

He closes his eyes and thinks of her. her beautiful, flowing, red hair that shined like a burning sun. The scars covering her legs that showed the struggles of her life but they fascinate him. Her deep blue eyes that stared at him with such brightness from her youth. And then, her scent of Phpy blossoms that was so intoxicating that he can't resist it but it also made him feel calm. Thinking about this, Dhm'Ni drops his head down and grabs it tightly, growling a little as a stinging pain shot through it. He didn't notice when Nder comes walking into his room unannounced.

"Hey, Dhm'Ni. Why aren't you partying with the others? It's a lot of fun." It was only a front for Nder, knowing how Dhm'Ni hasn't come out much since they left the main Dropship. He was hoping that with some encouragement, he would be able to get Dhm'Ni out of his current state, even if just a little bit. But nothing worked. He couldn't force Dhm'Ni to act like nothing has happened, especially after the argument they had between father and son.

"I'm not in the mood." Dhm'Ni growls, sending a signal for Nder to go away. He backs up a bit but doesn't leave. "I don't feel well."

"But you said that a few days ago. You can't stay cooped up in your room forever." Nder explains to him. "I know that you miss her. Nalani . . ."

"I do. I can't stop thinking about her. I just want to make sure that she's okay. Not knowing is killing me." Dhm'Ni says with grief in his voice. He looks back up into the window and the stars had disappeared, leaving nothing but the blackness of the universe. He then senses that Nder takes a seat next to him, gripping his shoulder and gently shaking it back and forth.

"I know. But she's strong. I'm sure that Kh'Cho, Sya and everyone else is taking good care of her. We just need to stay strong. At least for her." Nder feels the same way as Dhm'Ni. Nala has proven so many times that she belongs to their clan and he admits to himself that she's just as great as the best of hunters, even if others don't think so.

Dhm'Ni sighs in agreement with Nder but he doesn't want to anything today. He just wants to be left alone.

But then, a huge thud shakes the entire ship, alerting Nder and Dhm'Ni of its presence. "What the pauk?" Whatever it was that hit the ship, it was pretty massive. Then the alarms went off and red flashes of light filled Dhm'Ni's room, ringing so loud that it began to irritate both of them. To have this going on, both of them knew that it must have been serious.

"Hurry! We need to get to the bridge and find out what the pauk is going on!" Nder yells. Dhm'Ni doesn't question him and take off with him, fitting his Awu'asa on and grabbing all his weapons as fast as possible. Not even checking all of them if they were ready. Both raced through the hallways and into the lift, signaling it to head to the bridge level. But as it was slowly moving, another thud throws them to the side, hitting the wall of the lift violently. Then the entire lift stops completely and the lights inside of it go out.

"This isn't normal! Something is attacking us!" Dhm'Ni growls. He goes towards the doors of the lift and attempts to pry it open. No matter what, they wouldn't budge, even when Nder comes and helps him. It was stuck but they needed to get out of here.

"This isn't working! We need to find another way out!" Nder explains as he looks around for any other openings that they can use. Dhm'Ni does the same and then spots a small door on top of the lift.

"There!" Dhm'Ni points up so Nder can follow where it is. Without thinking, Nder jumps up and punches it with all of his might. The door flies up hard and Nder climbs up followed by Dhm'Ni. They were on top of the lift, inspecting the shaft as the cables around them sway.

"We need to get to the bridge level. It's only three doors up. We're going to have to climb." Dhm'Ni says.

"What do you suggest? The walls are not exactly the ideal way." Nder didn't know what to suggest though. But they needed to get to the others as fast as possible.

"We'll have to climb the cables." Dhm'Ni points up the length of the cables as they stretched all the way up the shaft. "It's the fastest way to get there. Come on!"

Dhm'Ni grips a single cable and begins to pull himself up. Nder finds another one and begins his journey up the shaft. It was a major struggle for both of them. It didn't help that another strong thud hits the ship again and causes Dhm'Ni and Nder to hold on with all their might, swaying back and forth as it subsides. Once they recovered, they hurried up the cables until Dhm'Ni stops right in front of a closed door.

"This is it!" Dhm'Ni takes a leap of faith and jumps across the open space, letting the cable go and reaches out, digging his claws to the side of the door. Luckily, they latch on and Dhm'Ni quickly gets to work on opening the door while he had some time. When it wasn't enough, he takes out the hidden knife from his side and jams it through the cracks. With a twist of the blade, the door pops open and Dhm'Ni reaches in, pushing the door wide open. He swings himself in and looks back to see Nder leap over successfully. They quickly nod at each other and runs through the hall towards the bridge.

The alarms were getting louder as they made it to the doors of the bridge. It opens to reveal many Yautja scurrying around in a hurry. Some were getting their weapons and putting on their Awu'asa. The pilot roars out orders to the others near him as Nder and Dhm'Ni rush to his side.

"E'thap! What the cjit is happening!?" Nder roars.

"Another ship had started attacking us! We have no idea who it belongs to but they won't stop their assault on us!" E'thap presses more buttons on the console, trying desperately to get their ship away from them.

"What about the ship's shield!?" Dhm'Ni asks.

"The first barrage of attacks disabled it! We are open and vulnerable! The only thing I can do is fight back with the ship's weapons until we can escape." Another huge thud rips through again, causing everyone on the bridge to either stumble or fall down completely. But then, pieces of metal from the roof began to break apart and rain down on them. Dhm'Ni and Nder were able to take cover but some of the other Yautja weren't so fortunate. Some got deep cuts all over their bodies while others had worse with sharp metal sticking out of them, almost certainly fatal wounds.

"We can't keep this up! We have to get out of here!" Dhm'Ni moves to E'thap's side, looking at the console for anything. "Look! There's a planet not too far from here!" He points toward an image displaying a blue, jungle-like planet. E'thap looks at Nder with uncertainty, looking for confirmation that this is the best course of action.

"Well, we don't have a choice. It's better than being out here in the open. Command the ship for landing!" Nder roars towards E'thap and with a firm nod, he punches in the code that causes the ship to groan and then slowly turn towards the planet. But then an enormous blast hits the side wall of the bridge, breaking some of the top layers of metal off and spraying out towards Dhm'Ni, Nder, and E'thap. One of them pierces into Dhm'ni's shoulder and he howls in pain. Nder sees this and holds him up so that he wouldn't collapse. Nder had no choice but to grab the other end of the metal that was sticking out of Dhm'Ni and rips it out. Dhm'Ni lets out a piercing roar and pushes his hand on the wound, watching as his green blood spills out profusely.

"Cjit! One of the engines is down!" One of the Yautja on the console roars out. E'thap presses more codes but a red light flashes every time he tries. E'thap and the other Yautja try their best to keep the ship together and sure enough, the blue planet comes into view.

"Alright! We're going to try and land safely but just hold on!" Following orders from E'thap, all of the remaining Yautja grab on to whatever they could. Nder holds on to Dhm'Ni good shoulder and grabs onto the pilot's chair. The ship begins to descend to the planet but at a fast pace.

However, pushing through the pain, Dhm'Ni looks up toward the front window of the ship and that is when he sees the enemy ship. He doesn't recognize or even seen something like that before. It was covered in almost all-black color so it wouldn't have been hard to detect it in space but it was massive. Almost the size of their main Dropship that was still near Homeworld. But then Dhm'Ni notices something unusual about it. There was a huge symbol that was made of a crescent mark with a small dot in the middle etched on the front of it. No clan has such a symbol like that before. Even if it was a new clan, the others would have certainly known about, including Dhm'Ni. He knew something wasn't adding up.

But then he sees the main gun of the enemy ship emerge from the bottom of it, coming to life as a blue glow lights up inside of it. Dhm'Ni's eyes widened at what was about to happen. "WATCH OUT!"

But it was too late. The main cannon fires and is coming straight for them! There was no time to dodge as the blast makes contact with the ship, creating a shudder that knocks everyone to the ground. It rips through the side of it, creating a massive hole that allows the space's air to rush in. Nder realizes this and presses a code that shuts the doors to the bridge, ensuring that they can still breathe. All of them could hear the roars and screams of the Yautja that were unfortunate to not make it in but they had no choice. They needed to stay alive.

"We've lost control! Everything is down! We're going to crash!" E'thap gets back up and tries everything on the console but the same red light keeps popping up. Nder and Dhm'Ni get back on their feet but the wound on Dhm'Ni was still bleeding badly and he could feel himself losing consciousness. He keeps himself awake but digging his claws on his exposed arm. He looks up to see that they have broken through the planet's atmosphere. The whole front of the ship was burning but thankfully it was holding.

As soon as they cleared it, the terrain of the planet was revealed. Everything seemed to be in different shades of blue. Even the rivers that flowed through the forests were like a clear, aqua blue compared to the darker, navy blue colors on the leaves of the trees. The mountains and cliffs were the only parts of the planet that was a different color of light brown. It was only an instant that Dhm'Ni could take in its beauty and in some strange way, it reminded him of Nala. Then, his vision grew worse and Dhm'Ni was going in and out of consciousness, trying to focus on the roars and growls of Nder as he argues with E'thap.

"We need to find a safe place to land!" Nder roars.

"There's nothing I can do. All systems are down! Why don't you try and pauking work with this cjit?!" E'thab growls, trying to make a point that there's nothing they can do. They can suddenly smell smoke coming into the bridge and Nder fears that the ship's structure is falling apart but he knows they just need to brace for the worst. The terrain of the plant was coming closer and faster to them. Dhm'Ni's body loses strength and he begins to fall down. Nder sees this and holds him tightly to his body, making sure he's secure.

Nder looks back to the front of the ship and readies. "HOLD ON!"

Seconds before impact, Dhm'Ni loses conscious completely at one point, only seeing darkness around him. He didn't like it. His body began to tremble miserably and a dreadful feeling came to him, causing him to fall to his knees. It was just like the day when Dhm'Ni lost his mother. It was like he was a three seasons old pup again. He just wanted to disappear right then and there. To be engulfed in the darkness forever. To feel no more pain.

But then, the feet of a figure comes in his sight. He noticed that they were much smaller than a Yautja and so his eyes traveled up this figure until he stops and freezes in his tracks. The smiling face of Nala looks down at him. His heart skips a beat and his body heat up upon looking into her eyes. Those beautiful, blue eyes of her. The dreaded feeling, his wish to disappear, and everything else was gone. His attention devoted to her and her alone. He couldn't move but then Nala kneels down in front of him and she wraps her arms around him. The warmth from her body envelops him and he felt more safe with her than anything before. He wraps her arms around her smaller form, tightening them so she would never leave him.

"I'm so sorry . . . For everything . . ." Dhm'Ni purrs but had a sad tune to it. He thinks about everything that has happened to her and knows that some of it were his fault. He was on the verge of losing himself and he deserved it. He knows.

But then, he feels Nala brushing her lips across his mandibles, over his cheeks and then she places small kisses above each of his eyes. Her lips were very soft and he let out a resounding purr that vibrated his whole body. It was magnificent. She pulls her face back and cups his cheeks, staring into Dhm'Ni's eyes with so much love. "It's okay. I forgive you."

Dhm'Ni knows that this is a dream of some sort but it was so real. She was real. He pulls her back to him, encasing his body around hers. She was his everything.

"Nala . . ."

And then, everything went dark.

Hi Readers!

Whooo . . . That was my first chapter (technically Chapter 36 for the story) and it was a lot harder to do than I thought but still worth it. I hope that everyone enjoys this and would love to see more. I've decided to try and stay with the original author's wording and grammar so I apologize if some of it doesn't make sense but editing will be done soon. I understand if some of you have issues with this so let me know by PM (private messaging) and I'll get back to you ASAP. For now, enjoy the first chapter of the continuation of The Ripple of a Stone.

Stay tuned for Chapter 36! :)))


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